Browsing by Author "Anyakun, Thomas"

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    Assessing the contribution of women to food availability in Namalu sub-county, Nakapiripirit district, Karamojor sub-region.
    (Busitema University, 2026) Anyakun, Thomas
    Agriculture is an important source of livelihood and food availability in rural communities of Uganda, particularly in the Karamoja sub-region where women play an important role in agricultural production and household food management. The study aimed at assessing the contribution of women to food availability in Namalu Sub-county, Nakapiripirit District. The specific objectives were to identify the general agricultural activities carried out in Namalu Sub-county, determine the level of women’s involvement in agricultural activities, and identify the factors influencing women’s involvement in agriculture. A cross-sectional research design using a quantitative research approach was employed. The study targeted 7,604 people aged 18–59 years practicing agriculture in the four parishes of Namalu Sub-county. A sample size of 99 respondents was obtained using Yamane’s formula (1967). Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to select respondents. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, and ordinal logistic regression were used in data analysis. The findings revealed that all respondents (100%) practiced crop farming, while 98% practiced subsistence farming. Maize was the major crop grown for home consumption(99%) and sale (43.4%),pigs(46.5%) and goats (30.3%) were the most commonly kept livestock, women were highly involved in agricultural activities, particularly weeding and thinning (97%),post-harvest handling (96%),harvesting (87.9%) and planting and sowing. Most respondents (64.6%) rated women’s involvement in agriculture as very high, while 62.6% strongly agreed that women contributed significantly to household food availability. The ordinal logistic regression model was statistically significant, χ²(4) = 11.394, p = 0.022. Access to agricultural loans or credit was the only statistically significant factor influencing women’s involvement in agriculture (B = 1.344, p = 0.006), with respondents reporting access to agricultural credit having approximately 3.83 times higher odds of reporting a higher level of women’s involvement. Ownership of agricultural land, cultural and traditional influences, and challenges limiting involvement were not statistically significant predictors in the model. The study concluded that women played an important role in agricultural production and household food availability in Namalu Sub-county, although their involvement was affected by limited access to productive and financial resources.